The character, Simon Baz, is a
laid-off autoworker from Dearborn who steals a car that turns out to have a bomb inside it and is arrested on terrorism charges.

In the comic's tradition, Green Lanterns are chosen for their ability to overcome fear, and Baz becomes a superhero in the first issue of the rebooted Green Lantern series.

Johns said he wanted to create a superhero that reflected his own heritage.

"I thought 'Are there any Arab-American superheroes? And I couldn't think of any, and
that kind of bummed me out," he said.

In response to a question from the audience on how hard was it to sell the idea of an Arab-American Green Lantern to DC Comics executives, he said diversity in its characters is something the company is seeking.

"When I first introduced the idea to our president, they were 100-percent for it," Johns said. "It was complete support. I was really proud of my company and proud of DC Comics for that... We probably have the most diverse line of characters that we've ever had.

Arab American National Museum officials just announced the establishment of a Geoff Johns graphic literature collection in the museum's library.